Apparatus for feeding cigarettes



Oct. 15,' 1963 G. F. PEMBROKE 3,106,810

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CIGARETTES Filed Nov. 28. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N VE/V T01? 710474 F- er um, cw, 4% W A TTOE/VEYS Oct. 15, 1963 G. F. PEMBROKE APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CIGARETTE-S 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 28. 1960 United States Patent 3,106,810 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CIGARETTES George Frederick Pembroke, Deptford, London, England,

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to apparatus or feeding cigarettes, and in particular, apparatus for feeding batches of cigarettes, axially of their lengths, into containers. One example of such apparatus is disclosed in the complete specification and drawings of United States Patent No. 2,919,529, granted January 5, 1960, in which cigarettes are collected in a receptacle through which they are lowered by a platform as a stack, each successive stack being pushed out of the receptacle into an adjacent open-sided container.

One problem that arises in such arrangements is to ensure that the leading end faces of cigarettes being pushed into the container do not catch against any obstruction during forward axial movement of the cigarettes into the container. A difiiculty of this nature is encountered when the cigarettes are pushed on top of cigarettes already in the container; when mouthpiece cigarettes are being dealt with, it is sometimes required that they should enter the container mouthpiece end first, so that the tobacco portions of the cigarettes will have their end faces exposed at the open side of the container. Mouthpiece cigarettes are usually, or often, provided at their mouthpiece ends with bands encircling the paper tubes of the cigarettes, such for example as the well-known cork tips. Such encircling bands present edges which can easily catch against the edges of the leading faces of cigarettes if the latter are pushed or slid axially over the cigarettes already in the container, in a case where, as mentioned above, the cigarettes are pushed with their mouthpiece ends leading.

According to the present invention there is provided cigarette-feeding apparatus in which cigarettes (cg. arranged in a stack) are pushed in the direction of the axes of the cigarettes on to a receiving surface or surfaces (eg on to other cigarettes similarly disposed) comprising means to push the cigarettes axially, and a guide element arranged to guide the cigarettes over any obstructions (e.g. over the edges of encircling bands or tips on other cigarettes on to which the said cigarettes are to be pushed) and thereafter, to be withdrawn.

The guide element may constitute a support for the cigarettes being pushed, and in that case may be arranged to move forwardly with the cigarettes for a predetermined distance, and then withdrawn. The guide element may constitute a platform on which cigarettes are lowered into a receptacle from which they are transferred into a container.

The platform may be mounted on a member arranged for upward and downward movement, on which member it is movable (e.g. slidable) to and fro in the direction of movement of the cigarettes lengthwise of their axes. A pusher may be provided to push the cigarettes forwardly, the pusher being provided with a catch member arranged to engage a part, e.g. the rear edge, of the platform so as to push the latter forwardly with the cigarettes.

Resilient means, such as a compression spring, may be provided to resist forward movement of the platform and to return it when it is released. For this latter purpose the catch member may be movable to disengage and release the platform, and the apparatus may comprise an abutment arranged in the path of the catch member so as to be engaged by the catch member so as to trip the latter when the platform has moved a required predetermined distance forwardly. For example the catch member may be pivoted and have a part arranged to ride up on the abutment, thereby raising and tripping the catch member.

Apparatus inaccordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of apparatus according to the invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing parts in different positions.

The apparatus illustrated forms part of cigarette collecting apparatus which may in its essential features be similar to that disclosed in the complete specification and drawings of United States Patent No. 2,919,529. Cigarettes are fed downwardly at a collecting station into a fixed receptacle in which they form a stack 1, supported on a platform 2, which is arranged to be lowered gradually through the receptacle to a suitable level, whereafter the accumulated stack of cigarettes which it supports are pushed by a pusher 3, in the direction of the axes of the cigarettes, into a container 4, which is open at the side facing the cigarettes. Before the platform reaches its lowest level, cigarettes above the required height of the stack are engaged (for example in the manner disclosed in the complete specification and drawings above mentioned) and held against downward movement, so that further downward movement of the platform lowers the stack clear of the cigarettes above it. After the stack has been pushed into the container the platform is again raised.

The mechanism for lowering and raising the platform, for arresting the cigarettes above the stack, and for reciprocating the pusher, may all be as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification and drawings.

In the arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a container 4 is filled in two stages. For this purpose the container is supported on a support 5 which (in the manner disclosed in the above-mentioned specification and drawings) is arranged to be moved from a position at which the lower part of the container registers with a stack of cigarettes ready to be pushed into it, to the position illustrated. In that latter position the contamer is partially filled with a stack 6 of cigarettes. As shown in FIGURE 1, a further stack 7 is about to be pushed into the upper part of the container so as to rest on the stack 6. I

The cigarettes being dealt Within this arrangement are provided with tips or encircling bands 8 at their mouthpiece ends, and are fed into the receptacle in such a way as to be pushed mouthpiece ends first into the container.

Although the tips may be of thin material, nevertheless their edges 9 form ridges or shoulders which are capable of catching against the edges of the leading faces of the tipped ends of cigarettes which are pushed axially over and along the cigarettes in the top layer of the stack 6. This could result in some at least of the tips 8 of the cigarettes in the top layer of the stack 6 being stripped from their cigarettes or at least damaged, and could also result in serious disturbance of the cigarettes being transferred into the container. Accordingly arrangements are provided whereby such catching or interference can be avoided.

The platform 2 is fixed on a block 10 which is slidably mounted on a rod 11. At either side of the rod 11 is a rod 12 around which is coiled a compression spring 13. The block 19 is suitably bored to receive the rods 10 and 12 and to house the springs 13. These rods are fixed at their ends to members 14 and 15 which are connected to each other and form part of the platform mounting which is arranged to move up and down to raise and lower the platform, but which does not move in the direction of axial movement of the cigarettes. The springs 13 are secured adjacent the member 14 but are otherwise free to move along their guide rods 12.

Fixed to the rear of the pusher 3 is a forked member 16 in which is pivoted an arm 17, one end of which is shaped to provide a notch 18 forming a catch, and also has a curved surface 19 at its extreme end. A tail 20 has an adjusting screw 21 hearing against a part of the member 16 to limit the downward pivotal movement of the longer part of the arm. The latter is also provided at its end with a roller 22.

Two upwardly extending arms 23 mounted on a rockshaft 24 carry rollers 25 which support the forward part of the platform 2 when the latter is in its lowermost position as shown in the drawings, and hold it just clear of the upper edge of the member 14. This is to prevent rubbing of the platform over the member 14 when the platform is moved to and fro as will shortly be described.

A bar 26 is also fixedly connected to the arms 23. This bar extends across the width of the receptacle. A roller 27 on an arm 23 is urged (e.g. spring urged) against a cam face 28 formed on a part 29 fixed to the member 14 so as to move up and down with the latter and with the platform 2. When the platform is in a raised position, the arms 23 are inclined to the right as viewed in the drawings, but as the platform descends, the cam face 28 runs along the roller 27 and thereby swings the arms 23 counterclockwise, as viewed in the drawings, to the position illustrated. As this swinging movement is quite short it does not materially alter the height of the rollers 25 which of course swing with the arms 23. The reason for swinging the arms 23 will be explained shortly.

Secured to a part 30 which is part of the platform mounting is an abutment 31 located in the path of the curved surface 19 at the end of the arm 17.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described.

With the parts in the positions illustrated in FIGURE 1, the lower part of a container 4 has been filled with cigarettes and the container has been lowered to the position shown. The platform has reached its lowermost position, which is just above the top level of the stack 6 of cigarettes already in the container, and supports a further stack 7 which is now to be transferred into the upper part of the container. As the platform approached its lower most position the arms 23 were swung counterclockwise, as explained above, to the position shown, and the bar 26 was thus moved towards the stack 6 in the container 4. The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure that any cigarettes in the upper levels of the stack 6 which may be projecting from the tray (i.e. towards the right as viewed in the figure) beyond a predetermined distance shall be pushed back by the bar 26. This is in order to ensure that after the bar 26 has again moved to the right, as it will do as soon as the platform is raised again, there will be a definite minimum clearance between the cigarettes in the container 4 and the various parts of the filling mechanism, such as the forward edge of the platform 2. This clearance is required so that the filled container can Cil 4 be lifted away and removed without damage to the cigarettes. If desired, the swing of the arms 23 could be made greater than in the arrangement shown, so as to ensure a larger clearance.

Transfer of the stack 7 into the container 4 is effected by the pusher 3 moving in the direction of the arrow thereon and pushing the stack across the platform towards the container.

When the pusher has moved the stack to the position illustrated in dot and dash line at 7a, the catch 18 engages the rear edge of the platform 2, which accordingly is thereafter forced to move forwardly with the pusher and the cigarette stack.

This forward movement of the platform continues until the platform reaches the position shown in FIGURE 2.

It will be seen that by the time the platform 2 starts to move forward, the stack '7 has already been pushed forward to a position such that the tipped, mouthpiece ends of the cigarettes--i.e. their leading endsproject beyond the leading edge of the platform. As shown in FIGURE 2, by the time the platform 2 has reached the end of its forward movement, these leading ends of the cigarettes in the stack 7 have been brought to a position such that the edges of those leading faces have moved past the edges 9 of the tips 8 on the cigarettes at the top level of the stack 6. Accordingly the stack 7 can now be transferred on to the stack 6, and pushed forwardly thereover, without risk of the leading edges of the lowest cigarettes in the stack 7 catching in the edges 9 of the tips 8.

It can also be seen from FIGURE 2 that when the platform has reached the position shown, the curved surface 19 on the arm 17 has engaged and ridden upwardly over the abutment 31, thus raising the arm 17 and tripping the catch 18.

The platform 2, thus released from the catch, is immediately forced rearwardly by the springs 13, which have been compressed or cocked during forward movement of the platform.

A rubber buffer 32 is provided to cushion the impact of the block 10 on its rearward movement to the position shown in FIGURE 1.

During the rearward movement of the platform 2, which precedes that of the pusher 3, the platform runs beneath the roller 22 on the arm 17, thus avoiding rubbing of the platform against the surface 19.

During this rearward withdrawal of the platform, the pusher 3 continues its forward movement to complete the transfer of the stack 7, and it will be seen that as soon as the platform has been withdrawn, the stack 7 will drop on to the stack 6. However, as already pointed out, by this time the leading face edges of the lowermost cigarettes of stack 7, have already moved past the edges 9 of the tips 8 of the uppermost cigarettes of the stack 6.

After the return of the pusher 3, the platform rises, and the container 4 is removed and replaced by a fresh container which will be located at a higher position than that illustrated, in order that the next stack of cigarettes shall be pushed into its lower part. The cycle of operations described above, however, is repeated for the filling of the lower part as well as of the upper part of the container, even though the particular problem described ggliseis only when the upper part of the container is to be It will be seen that in the construction described, the platform acts as a guide element which guides the cigarettes over the obstructions presented by the cigarette tip edges 9. Although a separate guide element could be provided for this purpose, the arrangement described, in which the platform itself performs the dual function of lowering the cigarettes in stack formation, and of guiding the cigarettes over obstructions during their transfer, is 'a particularly convenient and simple one.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

ll Cigarette feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to receive periodically a group'of cigarettes in parallel arrangement, a movable support member for carrying a container, pusher-means to push the cigarettes in a group axially from the said receptacle into said container, said mov'able support adapted to assume a first upper position at which a container carried thereby is opposite the said receptacle and can receive a first group of cigarettes pushed from the receptacle into the lower portion of the container, and further adapted to assume a second lower position at which the container can receive a further group of cigarettes which are pushed from the receptacle over the said first group of cigarettes to be deposited thereon, a guide element comprising a platform movable in the direction of axial movement of the cigarettes and automatically operative in timed relationship with the movements of said pusher-means to move firom rest position with a group of cigarettes being pushed into the container by the pusher-means to a position such that the platform and the cigarettes, while they are being pushed axially, are guided over obstructions constituted by parts of cigarettes in the said first group and means withdrawing the platform to its rest position preceding the return of said pusher-means to its rest position.

2. Cigarette feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to receive periodically a group of cigarettes in parallel arrangement, a movable support member for carrying a container, pusher-means to push the cigarettes in a group axially irom the said receptacle into said container, said movable support member adapted to assume a first upper position, at which a container carried thereby is opposite the said receptacle and can receive a first group of cigarettes pushed from the receptacle in the lower portion of the container, and further adapted to assume a second lower position, at which the container can receive a further group of cigarettes which are pushed from the receptacle over the said first group of cigarettes to be deposited thereon, and a guide element operatively connected with said pusher-means for movement with a group of cigarettes being pushed into the container by the pusher-means to a position such that the guide element guides the cigarettes in the said further group, while they are being pushed axially, over obstructions constituted by parts of cigarettes in the said first group, and wherein the guide element constitutes a support for the group of cigarettes being pushed, including means to move the guide element forwardly with the cigarettes and then to withdraw the guide element, and further, wherein the guide element constitutes a platform onto which cigarettes are fed, and comprising means to lower the platform so as to lower the cigarettes supported thereon into the said receptacle {from which they are pushed as a group.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, comprising a member on which the platform is mounted, means to move the said member upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower the platform, and means to move the platform relatively to the said member to and fro in the direction of movement of the cigarettes lengthwise of their axes.

4. Cigarette feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to receive periodically a group of cigarettes in parallel arrangement, a movable support member for carrying a container, pusher-means to push the cigarettes in a group axially from the said receptacle into said container, said movable support member adapted to assume a first upper position, at which a container carried thereby is opposite the said receptacle and can receive a first group of cigarettes pushed from the receptacle in the lower portion of the container, and further adapted to assume a second lower position, at which the container can receive a further group of cigarettes which are pushed from the receptacle over the said first group of cigarettes to be deposited thereon, and a guide element operatively connected with said pusher-means for movement with a group of cigarettes being pushed into the container by the pusher-means, to a position such that the guide element guides the cigarettes in the said further group, while they are being pushed axially, over obstructions constituted by parts of cigarettes in the said first group, and wherein the guide element constitutes a support for the group of cigarettes being pushed, and comprising means to move the guide element forwardly with the cigarettes, and then to withdraw the guide element, and further, wherein the pusher-means pushes a group of cigarettes forwardly from the receptacle, and a catch member is connected to the pusher-means to engage a part of the said guide element so as to push the latter forwardly with the cigarettes.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising resilient means to resist forward movement of the guide element, and to return it when it is released by the said catch member, and means to disengage the catch member from the guide element when the latter is to be withdrawn.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising a connection between the catch member and the pusher Whereby the catch member is movable relatively to the pusher to disengage and release the guide element, and an abutment arranged in the path of the catch member, to be engaged by the catch member so as to trip the latter when the guide element has moved a required, predetermined distance forwardly.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the said connect-ion comprises a pivot, and wherein the catch member comprises a part arranged to ride up on the said abutment, to raise and trip the catch member.

8. Cigarette feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to receive periodically a group of cigarettes in parallel arrangement, a movable support member for carrying a container, pusher-means to push the cigarettes in a group axially from the said receptacle into said container, said movable support member adapted to assume a first upper position, at which a container carried thereby is opposite the said receptacle and can receive a first group of cigarettes pushed from the receptacle in the lower portion of the container, and further adapted to assume a second lower position, at which the container can receive a further group of cigarettes which are pushed from the receptacle over the said first group of cigarettes to be deposited thereon, and a guide element automatically operative in timed relationship with the movements of said pusher-means for movement with a group of cigarettes being pushed into the container by the pusher-means to -a position such that the guide element guides the cigarettes in the said further group, while they are being pushed axially, over obstructions constituted by parts of cigarettes in the said first group, and further comprising means to move the said guide element to and from a position of cigarettes and the said first group of cigarettes as the said further group is being pushed over the said first group.

'9. Cigarette feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to receive periodically a group of cigarettes in parallel arrangement, means to engage and move a group of cigarettes axially from said receptacle, a movable support for carrying a container from a first upper position, at which a container carried thereby is opposite the said receptacle and can receive :a first group of cigarettes moved from the receptacle in the lower portion of the container, to a second lower position, at which the container can receive a further group of cigarettes which are moved from the receptacle over the said first group of cigarettes to be deposited thereon, the said means to engage and move a group of cigarettes axially from the said receptacle, including means to prevent axially moving cigarettes in the said further group (from engaging cigarettes in the said first group until the cigarettes in the said first further group have been moved a predetermined distance over the cigarettes in the said first group, comprising a guide element comprising a platform movable in the direction or axial movement of the cigarettes to move therewith from a rest position to a position at which it is located between the cigarettes in said further group and the cigarettes in said first group as said further group is being moved over said first group and is guided over obstructions constituted by parts of cigarettes in said first group, and means to release the guide element for return to the rest position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Baur Dec. 3, 1889 Lofman Mar. 6, 1934 Fairbank June 5, 1951 Hiilman Ian. 5, 1960 

1. CIGARETTE FEEDING APPARATUS COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE PERIODICALLY A GROUP OF CIGARETTES IN PARALLEL ARRANGEMENT, A MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBER FOR CARRYING A CONTAINER, PUSHER-MEANS TO PUSH THE CIGARETTES IN A GROUP AXIALLY FROM THE SAID RECEPTACE INTO SAID CONTAINER, SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT ADAPTED TO ASSUME A FIRST UPPER POSITION AT WHICH A CONTAINER CARRIER THEREBY IS OPPOSITE THE SAID RECEPTACLE AND CAN RECEIVE A FIRST GROUP OF CIGARETTES PUSHED FROM THE RECEPTACLE INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CONTAINER, AND FURTHER ADAPTED TO ASSUME A SECOND LOWER POSITION AT WHICH THE CONTAINER CAN RECEIVE A FURTHER GROUP OF CIGARETTES WHICH ARE PUSHED FROM THE RECEPTACLE OVER THE SAID FIRST GROUP OF CIGARETTES TO BE DEPOSITED THEREON, A GUIDE ELEMENT COMPRISING A PLATFORM MOVABLE IN THE DIRECTION OF AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE CIGARETTES AND AUTOMATICALLY OPERATIVE IN TIMED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MOVEMENTS OF SAID PUSHER-MEANS TO MOVE FROM REST POSITION WITH A GROUP OF CIGARETTES BEING PUSHED INTO THE CONTAINER BY THE PUSHER-MEANS TO A POSITION SUCH THAT THE PLATFORM AND THE CIGARETTES, WHILE THEY ARE BEING PUSHED AXIALLY, ARE GUIDED OVER OBSTRUCTIONS CONSTITUTED BY PARTS OF CIGARETTES IN THE SAID FIRST GROUP AND MEANS WITHDRAWING THE PLATFORM TO ITS REST POSITION PRECEDING THE RETURN OF SAID PUSHER-MEANS TO ITS REST POSITION. 